182 A YEAR OF LIBERTY ; OR, 



would have done Macadam good to have witnessed. Fortunately 

 for the peace of the town the animal was at length captured, found 

 to be more frightened than hurt for the hook was merely entangled 

 in his curly hide and sent home to tell his own story to his master. 

 The Justice was irate beyond measure. Instead of flying into an 

 ordinary everyday Christian sort of passion, his heat was absolutely 

 tropical ; his dignity had been outraged ; the bench had been in- 

 sulted in his person. He stamped like a gentleman qualifying for 

 Bedlam, and swore as many round oaths as would, if properly 

 accounted for, have considerably enriched her Majesty's treasury. 

 The first paroxysm over, he talked about idle and ill-disposed 

 persons obstructing the public roads, threatened to put the Act in 

 force, eulogised Dick Mart3m and the Act for the Prevention of 

 Cruelty to Animals, steamed home, thought more coolly over the 

 matter, tied up his dog, to the great joy of the whole population, 

 and for the rest of his days won't he hate flies, rods, and anglers 

 more devoutly than ever ? " 



With the Colonel punctuality was a virtue and something more, 

 so, in order that his peace of mind might not be disturbed, I enjoined 

 Willie to have the car at the door five minutes before the hour 

 specified by my old friend, and ere the clock struck eight we were 

 clear of the town. 



The driving was on the most approved Hibernian principle a 

 principle, by the way, I never understood correctly, but which in 

 practice naay be reduced to two heads level ground, pace moderate ; 

 down hill, awful. There was a sufficient proportion of incline to 

 display our driver's skill to considerable advantage, and make 

 me feel anything but comfortable under his guidance. "Thank 

 goodness!" I ejaculated, "here's the last descent." As we gained 

 the brow, signs of the coming event became evident. The driver 

 shook himself more firmly into his seat, and carefully deposited the 

 pipe in his waistcoat pocket. The horse, too, pricked up his ears, 

 and stepped out more briskly ; he also was getting ready. With a 

 whoop and a shout the game animal started off at a gallop, and the 

 light vehicle bounded and flew over the stones, rolling heavily from 



